Valve structure for gas operated horn

ABSTRACT

A novel form of valve is provided for controlling the release of the gas under pressure to a horn so that a simple and effective signalling device is provided.

United States Patent Wilbur 1 Dec. 25, 1973 VALVE STRUCTURE FOR GAS OPERATED 1,655,675 1/1928 Cunningham 116/142 FP HORN 1,898,546 2/1933 Kelley 116/112 ux 2,281,539 4/1942 Grover 116/142 PP [75] Inventor: R r L- Wilbur, North n h m, 2,793,651 5/1957 Gomez 1. 137/316 M81116 2,809,800 10/1957 Ahl 251/335 R X 3,000,344 9/1961 Ferrell 1 16/1 12 [73] Assgneei The Easter" C(mlpany, Naugamck, 3,109,565 11/1963 Kutik 222/40213 x Conn- 3.520,368 7/1970 Hayes 116/112 UX Filed: y 1972 3,670,690 6/1972 Swanson 116/112 21 AppL No.2 250,600

Primary Examiner-Louis J. Capozi 52 us. c1 116/112, 222/402.13, 239/577, Hppe et 251/335 R, 222/402.13;402.14 [51] Int. Cl. G08b 21/00 [58] Field of Search 116/112, 67, 117, [57] ABSTRACT 116/65, 142 R, 142 FP; 251/331, 335 B, 335

3 137/316 A novel form of valve is provided for controlling the release of the gas under pressure to a horn so that a 1 1 References Cited simple and effective signalling device is provided.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,083,351 l/1914 Down 116/55 UX 1 Claim, 3 Drawing Figures VALVE STRUCTURE FOR GAS OPERATED HORN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Gas operated horns have been provided heretofore and one can refer, for example, to the U.S. Pat. to Cunningham No. 1,655,675, that to Grover US. Pat No. 2,281,539, to Reeves US. Pat. No. 2,840,032 and to Gomez US. Pat. No. 2,793,651. These devices each requires a special complicated form of valve to control release of the gas under pressure to the horn device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In general the broad object of the present invention is to provide a novel valve structure for operating the valve in a conventional pressurized container filled with a vaporized material, such as one of the Freons" as dichlorodifluoromethane.

The valve structure of the present invention is such that it enables the conventional aerosol container to be readily attached to a horn structure with the valve manipulating mechanism interposed between the horn and the container.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the device of the present invention in assembled form and positioned for operation.

FIG. 2 is an exploded view showing the attachment of the horn, the valve structure and the top of the conventional container.

FIG. 3 is a cross section taken through part of the horn, the valve structure and the top of the conventional container.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring particularly to FIG. 1, a horn of the wellknown type such as that shown in the aforementioned Reeves patent is indicated at 6. The horn includes a movable diaphragm which is actuated with great effectiveness upon release of gas from the conventional container 7, the gas being released under the control of the valve mechanism, generally designated as 8. The valve mechanism 8 includes a tubular body or coupling member 9 threaded at its upper end 11 to be received by a threaded portion 12 in the base of the horn 6 and having a fluid passageway therethrough. The lower end of the tubular body is threaded as at 14 to be received upon the threaded neck 16 on the container 7. The threaded neck on the container 7 includes a valve mechanism which, when moved downwardly with respect to the neck 16, releases the fluid in the container. Such valve mechanisms are well-known in the art.

In accordance with this invention, the side wall of the tublar body 9 is provided with a circular opening 17 in its side wall while opposite the opening 17 the tubular wall is recessed as at 18. A valve operating lever 21 is mounted in the opening 17 by a rubber plug or member 22, the latter being recessed as at 23 to fit snugly in the opening 17.

The operating lever 21 includes a horizontally extending portion or actuating lever 24 which projects into the interior of the tubular body 9. Depending from the horizontal portion 24 is an operating element or pin 26 which rests against the valve provided in the container neck 16. A hand-engageable operating lever is integral with the lever 21 outside the body 9. When the lever 21 is moved as in FIG. 1 from the full line to the dotted line position as in FIG. 3, the rod 26 is effective to open the valve and so permit the fluid to pass into the horn to actuate the horn. Since the container 7 is normally closed, it is a simple matter to substitute one container for another.

Iclaim:

l. A hand-held container of pressurized fluid with a flared fluid operated horn thereon for making a noise, a threaded outlet neck on the container, a tubular coupling member having an axially extending fluid passageway therethrough and opposite threaded ends, one of said threaded ends threadably engaged on said threaded neck of said container, a transverse bore in said coupling member between the ends thereof in communication with said passageway and defining an opening through the side of said coupling member and terminating in an enlarged recess in the side of said passageway opposite said opening, a fluid operated horn threadably engaged on the other threaded end of said coupling member, and a valve actuating mechanism carried by said coupling member for operating a valve in said container to release pressurized fluid from the container, through the passageway and to the horn to operate the horn, said valve actuating mechanism including a resilient, annular plug in said opening in said coupling member, a valve actuating lever extending through said plug and having one end thereof outside said coupling member and extending transversely into said passageway at the other end thereof, said plug defining a hinge for said actuating lever and sealing said actuating lever in said opening in said coupling member, a hand-engageable operating lever integral with said one end of said actuating lever and extending laterally therefrom away from said container, and a valve operating pin depending from said other end of said actuating lever and extending laterally from said actuating lever in a direction opposite said hand-engageable operating lever and axially within said passageway into close proximity to said valve to engage and operate said valve when said hand-engageable operating lever is manipulated. 

1. A hand-held container of pressurized fluid with a flared fluid operated horn thereon for making a noise, a threaded outlet neck on the container, a tubular coupling member having an axially extending fluid passageway therethrough and opposite threaded ends, one of said threaded ends threadably engaged on said threaded neck of said container, a transverse bore in said coupling member between the ends thereof in communication with said passageway and defining an opening through the side of said coupling member and terminating in an enlarged recess in the side of said passageway opposite said opening, a fluid operated horn threadably engaged on the other threaded end of said coupling member, and a valve actuating mechanism carried by said coupling member for operating a valve in said container to release pressurized fluid from the container, through the passageway and to the horn to operate the horn, said valve actuating mechanism including a resilient, annular plug in said opening in said coupling member, a valve actuating lever extending through said plug and having one end thereof outside said coupling member and extending transversely into said passageway at the other end thereof, said plug defining a hinge for said actuating lever and sealing said actuating lever in said opening in said coupling member, a hand-engageable operating lever integral with said one end of said actuating lever and extending laterally therefrom away from said container, and a valve operating pin depending from said other end of said actuating lever and extending laterally from said actuating lever in a direction opposite said hand-engageable operating lever and axially within said passageway into close proximity to said valve to engage and operate said valve when said hand-engageable operating lever is manipulated. 